Family members of residents, whose loved ones who were formerly deemed suitable for residential care, are now being told they need nursing care, claim UNISON’s Northern Health branch.
This, the branch have said, is without any change in circumstance or health detritions.
“Call me sceptical, but this would mean trusts don’t have to pay the top up fee involved when moving current residents from NHS provision to private care,” said Stephanie Greenwood, UNISON Northern Health’s joint branch secretary.
“The cost of providing residential care is approx £425 per week and nursing care is approx £600,” she continued. “Families would be expected to cover the shortfall.
“The public, residents and staff supported by their union, and councils in many areas, have made it crystal clear that they want to retain residential care within the NHS. Who is listening?”
Stephanie called on MLAs to listen now before it is too late.
“The people of Northern Ireland are feeling the real effects of purely political decisions. They find it difficult getting jobs and those in jobs are pushed to the limit. Cuts to the welfare state are imminent and will hit hard.
“The disabled and elderly are being hoodwinked and their views disregarded. Our society feels that it is the forgotten black hole and the future for our children is bleak. People are fed up making ends meet – simply working to live and scrape by. They want, and deserve, a quality of life.
“It is time our politicians stopped with the ‘green and orange’ politics polarising our communities and deal with the real issues affecting us before they get a huge shock at the ballot box.”
UNISON Northern Health Branch and Causeway branch have organised a March on Stormont for 1 July. These branches represent staff in the areas of Mid-Ulster, Ballymena, Antrim, Whiteabbey, Larne, Carrick, Coleraine and Ballymoney.
The branch is striving to protect workers’ rights but also striving to ensure good service provision and that user needs are retained within the national health service and are available free of charge ‘from cradle to grave’.
“Our residential homes, homecare provision and the staff that provide the service are second to none,” Stephanie continued.
“I call on anyone that feels strongly about residential home closures or the local implementation of Transforming Your Care to support this March. I urge you to come along and make this your time to make a difference.”
The Northern Health branch and Causeway branch will run buses from all locations.
Northern Health branch will organise buses from Cookstown, Ballymena and Larne. The Cookstown bus will leave Westlands at 9.30am going to Mid Ulster Hospital for 10am. The Ballymena bus will leave Pinewood at 9.30am and going to Rosedale for 10am. The Larne bus leaves Lisgarel at 9.30am, going to Library at Joymount 10am and then onto Clonmore for 10.15am.
Jean Faulkner, a resident from Westlands home, said: “This is my home, my family, I need it and I don’t want to leave.”
For further information on the March or in relation to any part of TYC or residential home closures, please contact any of the following UNISON branch officers: Stephanie Greenwood 07725 987317 Paul McComick 07712 188689 or Marjorie Trimble 07725 987525.
